Goodbye February, Hello March

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Happy March & Finish Strong Fridays! How are you feeling after February's Love Yourself Challenge? It's a new month and a great opportunity to renew and energize our fitness goals.  March is so great because the change of seasons is upon us. Ahh, spring is just around the corner and we couldn't be more thrilled! It's been a long winter! I'm done with below zero temps, wind-chill factors, freezing rain and snowstorms! Bring on the warmer temps and sunshine!


For me, March is a new start, a rebirth in a way. Plants start to show signs of life again and dull landscapes are transformed by gorgeous colours. Oh, we've missed you! If March were a friend, they would be kind, gentle and poised. What a beautiful time! However, with all this wonder comes the looming fact that swimsuit season is just around the corner. I'm sure you've heard the old adage: summer bodies are made in winter. Spring is a friendly reminder that we need to kick things into high gear! Let's stay focused and committed to our workout schedules and put that pep back into our step. It will be easier with the warmer temps too! No more feelings of hibernation, being a prisoner of the indoors or overdosing on comfort foods. Let's all give a big thank you to spring for arriving on time when we need it most!

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Back in January we all stated our fitness goals and made a plan of action. We just need a little motivation sometimes to help refresh our focus. For us, music is what moves us. I am always on the prowl for new and interesting artists and songs that inspire me.
  
Nothing beats a hot new track that you just can't wait to play during your workout. I recommended a great cardio mix for L the other day and she was so pumped to try it out! As you'll notice from the list of songs below, we just love the remix! (Big shout out to P. Diddy!) The remix gives the track much needed beats and tempo to fuel a cardio session. Now I'm not saying all songs sound better remixed - I've heard some terrible remixes and it takes away something special from the original. Respect.

So what makes a great running song? Well, it has a lot to do with the song’s tempo. You will find that the song itself doesn't matter as much as the beats per minute. And that translates to less perceived effort on your part and actually enhances performance (see The Perfect Playlist). BUT, I kinda disagree to a certain extent. Music is very personal and other qualities of the song play a role - lyrics, meaning, timing, etc. Also, your mood plays a big role. If any of you have listened to Pavarotti, you will know that he has a distinct genre of music that doesn't belong on a workout playlist. But, why is it that his song Caruso gets me pumped?! With that said, check out the list of tracks I've compiled for your exercising pleasure. They have helped me get through my workouts!

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Add these tunes to your playlist for high intensity workouts, think: running, elliptical, spinning & stairmaster.

1. Pitbull - Everybody F*cks (feat. Akon & David Rush)
2. Sultan & Ned Shepard & Nervo ft. Omarion - Army
3. Steve Aoki - Come With Me (deadmeat) ft. Nayer
4. Alex Guadino feat. Jordin Sparks - Is This Love (Benny Benassi Remix)
5. Flume - Sleepless (Erkka Remix)
6. Eric Turner - Dancing In My Head
7. Snoop Dogg - 'Sweat' Snoop Dogg vs David Guetta (Remix)
8. Adele Wilson - Black Horse And The Cherry Tree (Stylus Josh Remix)
9. Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch - Sweet Nothing
10. Two Door Cinema Club - Sleep Alone (BeatauCue Remix) 
11. Dragonette - Let It Go (Laidback Luke Remix)
12. LMFAO feat. Natalia Kills - Champagne Showers  
13. London Elektricity feat. Elsa Esmeralda - Just One Second (Apex Remix)  
14. Foster The People - Houdini (RAC Remix) 
15. Pitbull feat. Havana Brown & Afrojack - Last Night

Add any of these slower tempo tunes to your stretch playlist:

1. Oliver Tank - Last Night I Heard Everything In Slow Motion
2. Grizzly Bear - Shift
3. Deadmau5 - Raise Your Weapon
4. Seven Lions feat. Fiora - Days To Come
5. Bon Iver & St. Vincent - Roslyn 

Let us know what tunes motivate and inspire you! We are always looking for new tracks to add to our playlists! Have an awesome weekend and stay active :)

L&V, xoxo